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Resident urges county to account for $3 million in revenues and prioritize volunteer fire funding
Summary
A resident told the Uvalde County Commissioners Court she found at least $3,000,000 in county revenues in the draft budget and asked to meet with commissioners to review how fees and sheriff’s federal-prisoner contract receipts are used and whether more can be routed to understaffed volunteer fire departments after voters rejected an ESD tax.
Diane Carew told the Uvalde County Commissioners Court during public comment that, after conservatively totaling figures in the county budget draft, she found "at least $3,000,000," excluding hotel-tax and health-tax receipts, and asked to meet with the court to review how those revenues are used.
Carew said much of the county’s revenue stream is tied to departmental fees and the sheriff’s receipts from housing federal prisoners, and she asked commissioners to explain whether those funds support sheriff operations, salaries, equipment or flow into the general fund. She said local volunteer fire departments in Kanipa, Uvalde, Sabinal and Reagan Wells still face equipment shortages and funding needs after voters rejected an Emergency Service District property-tax proposition.
Carew asked the court to arrange a meeting "with whomever the court wants to appoint" to discuss revenue allocation and to consider directing more resources to fire departments. She also referenced a grant written by "Mr. Eser" that flows through the county but noted it is grant funding rather than direct county revenue.
Presiding Official thanked Carew and noted the item was received as citizen communication; no immediate action was taken. The court did not commit to specific changes during the meeting but approved routine agenda business afterward.
The next step Carew requested was a meeting with county officials to clarify revenue sources and possible reallocation toward fire services; the court did not schedule that meeting during this session.
